Mine
by singitanyway13
Summary: Songfic. Mine by Taylor Swift. Oneshot.


**Mine**

* * *

><p>Music played softly in the little cafe in downtown Houston. It was a hangout for all the college kids. A place to go after classes were over to meet up with friends or to get a cheap lunch. The small space was bustling with activity when Reba walked in. She was a freshman at the university and new in town. She could hardly find her way around the big city, but learned about the cafe from a few students in her English Lit class.<p>

The sign that hung on the wall just as she walked in told her to seat herself, so she picked a little table for two by a window. She chose it because it was kind of away from the crowd and she could read up on her notes in peace.

Before she sat there long, her waiter appeared.

"Can I get you something to drink?" He asked.

Reba looked up to see a young man with blonde hair pull out a little notebook-type thing to write her order on. She liked the way he spoke with a smile.

"Sweet tea, please."

He nodded, writing it down. "We have the best sweet tea."

"Oh, you do?"

He nodded, flipping the top of the notebook closed and placing his pen behind his ear. "At least that's what the customers tell me. I like to drink water."

"Well, I'll be sure and let you know how I like it."

He smiled, promising to be right back with her tea.

She sat back in her seat, feeling the sun from the window behind her warm her neck as she let a smile grace her own lips.

**_You were in college, working part-time waiting tables  
>Left a small town, never looked back<br>I was a flight risk with a fear of falling  
>Wondering why we bother with love if it never lasts<em>**

**_I say, can you believe it?  
><em>_As we're lying on the couch  
><em>_The moment, I can see it  
><em>_Yes, yes, I can see it now_**

The smell of his cologne lingered as he walked away. Her head tilted in thought as a memory came to mind. It was strange, however, as she didn't remember living it.

**xXx**

_Brock held onto her tightly as she struggled to get out of his grip. She hated it when he tickled her, and she always threatened him bodily harm when he didn't listen to her wishes._

_ "You're going to be sorry!" Reba announced, out of breath._

_"How? You can't even get away."_

_There, on the couch, Reba struggled with her new husband's Hulk-like grip before he finally gave in and stopped._

_"You butt!" She slapped him on the shoulder. "You know I hate it when you do that!"_

_Brock smiled and shielded his face in case she tried to hit him in the nose. "If you hate it so much, why were you laughing?" He wrapped his arm around her middle, pulling her close to him. _

_She shook her head, trying not to grin. He knew how to push her buttons just right._

_"Hush."_

_He chuckled, burying his head in her neck, breathing in her scent. "Do you remember?" He asked after they had just laid in each other's arms for a few moments._

_"Remember what?"_

_"Going to the beach that first time?" He kissed the soft skin near her collarbone. _

_"I remember. You put your arm around me for the first time."_

_He nodded, closing his eyes. "I wanted to do a lot more than that."_

_Reba turned around so that she was facing him. "Thank you for waiting, though."_

**_Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water  
>You put your arm around me for the first time<br>_****_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
><em>****_You are the best thing that's ever been mine_**

**xXx**

_"Hey, what are you up to?"_

_Reba spun around in her brand new kitchen to see Brock walking in with a box to unpack. _

_She sighed, turning back to unwrap the newspaper covered China. "Just trying to get things straightened out in here." She stacked the plates carefully beside her. "We need a China cabinet in here."_

_"What for?" Brock set the box he was holding on the table. "We have more cabinet space now."_

_"I want to show off my grandmother's China, not shove it in a cabinet."_

_He shrugged. "We'll save for it, I guess."_

_Reba let out a breath causing Brock to speak up. "What's that for?"_

_She turned around. "It's just that I know how many other things we have to save for. It's just frustrating having to save up money to pay bills."_

_"That's life."_

_"That's not how it should be, though."_

_Brock stopped unpacking and looked over at her standing by the counter, fists clenched. "I know that, but that's how it'll be for a while. Until I graduate, things are going to be tight."_

_Reba looked down. "I guess I thought that when I left home, there wouldn't be anymore penny pinching."_

_Brock chuckled and went to her, grabbing her wrists and making her look up at him. "You know I love your parents like my own." She nodded and he continued. "But they made some decisions early on that they didn't really think about. Running a ranch is expensive, you know that. I don't want to buy things I can't afford just because I want it. Your parents did that, didn't they?"_

_"Yes..."_

_"And they had to scrimp and save to afford you and your sister and themselves. I don't want that. So how about we wait on that China cabinet and instead, we buy groceries?"_

_She felt foolish for even asking for some frivolous thing, but knew Brock was right. If she wanted this marriage to go smoothly, she'd wait on the things she wanted and focus on the things she needed._

_"We'll never make my parent's mistakes, will we?"_

_Brock pulled her into a hug. "That's the plan, Stan."_

_She giggled. "I'm not Stan."_

**_Flash forward and we're takin' on the world together  
>And there's a drawer of my things at your place<br>_****_You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded  
><em>****_You say we'll never make my parent's mistakes_**

**_And we've got bills to pay  
>We've got nothing figured out<br>When it was hard to take,  
><em>****_Yes, yes, t_****_his is what I thought about _**

_He placed his chin on the top of her head, feeling her arms go around his middle. "Hey," He whispered. "Do you remember?"_

_She looked up. "I do. I didn't think you did."_

_"The anniversary of our first date was today, how could I forget that?" He kissed her lips sofly._

_"You're not like other guys, Brock. I love you for that."_

_Her mind went back to their first date. Brock had taken her out on a boat underneath the stars where they just sat and talked and got to know each other. And instead of being uncomfortable and awkward when he put his arm around her, she felt safe._

**_Do you remember, we were sitting there by the water  
>You put your arm around me for the first time<br>You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
><em>****_You are the best thing that's ever been mine_**

_The boat he rented had been gorgeous. Reba had been nervous, but with Brock already on the boat, she figured she better follow or get left behind._

_Once they rowed out a ways, though, her mind was at peace and she found the water to be a calming place. With just her, Brock and the stars, she felt like she was alive. She felt as if up until then, she had just been going through the motions, never really knowing what to do with herself. But as she glanced at the ripples in the water and saw the lights from the city in the reflection, she realized this was how she wanted to feel for the rest of her life._

**_Do you remember all the city lights on the water?  
>You saw me start to believe for the first time<br>You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
><em>****_You are the best thing that's ever been mine_**

**xXx**

_It was well after midnight, and nearing two o'clock in the morning. Reba knew Brock had late classes, but figured he'd at least call her when he had his break. _

_He didn't._

_That's what set her off the first time. She had gotten dinner prepared for him like she did every night, but this time, it sat there for over an hour without being touched by him. How could it be when he wasn't even there?_

_Angrily, Reba loaded the dishwasher with the pots and pans she had used while slaving away cooking pot roast. She wondered if Brock even remembered he had a family at home that missed him. It seemed like all he cared about was school and earning his degree._

_Five-year-old Cheyenne hardly ever saw her father. She got up after he left for work and went to bed before he came home from school. Monday through Saturday, that was how it was. Reba was lucky to get an hour a day with him, and she wondered about the new baby. Him not being there for the birth of their second child constantly ran through her mind. She was practically raising Cheyenne alone and was scared to death at the thought of having another human to be accountable for._

_But that was too late now. At nearly eight months along, her large stomach told no lie about the fact that the new arrival would be there shortly. She placed her hand against her belly as the baby moved around restlessly._

_"I wonder where he is, too," She told her baby, sighing as she sat down at the kitchen table._

_Just as she said that, the door opened and she heard Brock make his way into the kitchen._

_"Hey, baby," He greeted her, not even noticing her tired eyes or hurt expression. "Where's dinner?" He reached in the fridge for something to drink before turning around. That was when he saw her face. Frowning, he asked, "What's wrong?"_

_"What's wrong?" She asked, hoisting herself out of the chair. "What's not wrong is more like it."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"You're never home, Brock! You're always at work or at school and nobody in this house ever sees you!"_

_Brock was dumbfounded. All along, he thought he was doing what he should be doing as a man, and that was supporting his family._

_"Well, Reba, what do you suggest I do? Quit my job and start cutting classes? If I do that, we'll be on the streets."_

_"Maybe you should. You're a lot more important to me than having nice things." _

_"You're being ridiculous."_

_"I am not! I just miss you. What's ridiculous about that?"_

_He shook his head. "Where's Cheyenne?"_

_"In bed! I put her down six hours ago!"_

_He blinked. "I thought she goes to bed at eight?"_

_"She does. It's nearly two A.M., Brock."_

_He looked at his watch. "I didn't even realize." He ran a hand through his hair. _

_"That's right. You just don't realize anything!"_

_She walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, flinging the front door open and running down the porch steps. She began to walk down the sidewalk. She just needed to get away. Brock just frustrated her so much. It was as if he wasn't even thinking about the fact that she wanted him, not the things he could give her._

_"Reba! Reba, wait!"_

_Reluctantly, she stopped and turned around, watching him run up to her._

_**_And I remember that fight, two-thirty A.M.  
>As everything was slipping right out of our hands<br>_****_I ran out crying and you followed me out into the street_**_

_"What do you want?" She asked angrily._

_"I'm sorry for upsetting you, but you're not being realistic."_

_"You're not. You don't get it, Brock. I don't want fancy things, I want you and so does Cheyenne. She sees you even less than I do. And what about the new baby, huh? What if when she's born she never gets to know you at all? What if you miss everything?" She was crying now. Burying her face in her hands, she wondered what she was doing. Running away eight months pregnant? Where was she going to go?_

_"I'm just a big, fat, hormonal mess!"_

_Brock chuckled and pulled her to him, letting her cry on his chest. _

_"You're probably just going to leave now, huh?" She wailed. "That's fine. Go!" She pushed him away and took a few steps back._

_ **_Braced myself for the goodbye  
><em>****_'Cause that's all I've ever known  
><em>****_But you took me by surprise  
>You said, I'll never leave you alone <em>**_

_"Nobody's going anywhere," Brock told her. "I'm not leaving and neither are you."_

_"I can if I want to."_

_"But you won't." A playful smile graced his lips that made her livid._

_"Don't mock me!"_

_"I'm not! Reba, look, I love you, alright? Just stick it out a little longer. Trust me on this one, okay? I know what I'm doing. Do you trust me?"_

_She nodded, wiping the tears away._

_"Good." He smiled. "Now, can we go back inside?"_

_She nodded again and grabbed his hand when he held it out. _

_"And you're not fat," He told her as they walked up the porch steps. "You're beautiful." He pulled her to him. "Do you remember?"_

_She shook her head, trying to smile through the tears. She held onto his waist as they sat down on the porch swing._

_"That night we were on the water," He told her as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I remember how it felt to wrap my arms around you. Every time I look at you, it's like it's our first date all over again. Our beautiful life never gets old. I fell in love with this wonderful, beautiful, smart girl and she's the very best thing that's ever been mine."_

**_You said, I remember how we felt sitting by the water  
>And every time I look at you, it's like the first time<br>I fell in love with a careless man's careful daughter  
>She is the best thing that's ever been mine <em>**

**xXx**

Reba felt all the memories fade as she came back into the reality. It was the most spectacular thing she had ever experienced. It was like she had a glimpse of some wonderful life she'd have in the future. It was absolutely beautiful.

"Here you go. Sweet tea for a sweet lady."

She looked up to see the waiter, glancing at his name-tag. Brock.

"Thank you," She told him, smiling brightly and taking a sip. "It _is_ good."

"So I've heard." He winked. "You ready to order?"

"I think I am."

**_Hold on, make it last  
>Hold on, gonna make it now<em>**

**_You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter  
><em>****_You are the best thing that's ever been mine  
>Do you believe it?<br>Gonna make it now  
><em>****_I can see it  
><em>****_Yes, yes, I can see it now_**

**-The End-**

* * *

><p><strong><em>I was listening to my Pandora station earlier and this song came on. Immediately, I was like, "Why have I not written a story for this song?" So I did. Hope you liked it. (:<em>**


End file.
